Chapter 490: Chapter 35: The Curtain Rises, Upheaval in the Palace

This matter indeed dealt a blow to Li Shimin, as after all, Li Yuan was his father.

But he also understood that everyone has a time to depart, and no one can stop it.

Actually, Gu Yi could sense another change in Li Shimin, perhaps because of his excessive admiration for Gu Chen, which inevitably made Li Shimin somewhat influenced by the Gu Clan.

That is, he never feared death and was very calm about it.

However, there were still major issues that concerned him.

That was the illness of Empress Changsun, though it did not appear life-threatening, it was difficult to cure.

Li Shimin was quite worried about this.

Gu Yi also noticed this matter, yet he felt no emotional disturbance in his heart.

Whether it was Empress Changsun or Li Yuan, the lifespans of these people had already extended.

There were many factors involved.

Not just because the emergence of the Gu Clan accelerated the unification of the world, saving them from excessive worries, but also due to continuous medical advancements.

How much longer Empress Changsun could live, he did not know.

The eleventh year of the Zhenguan era, July.

Gu Quan had just eradicated all rebellious forces in the Western Regions, thoroughly establishing the foundation for implementing the system.

The entire Western Regions submitted under the iron hooves of the Great Tang.

Afterward—

The grand matters officially commenced.

Gu Quan had people occupy all strategic locations in the Western Regions, using this as a base to gradually radiate out to surrounding countries.

While making everyone begin to engage with Great Han’s systems. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Li Shimin also sent the long-prepared books to the Western Regions, almost all compiled with Western Region and Great Han script, containing Confucian classics.

At the same time, Gu Quan also let Gu Yan and others subtly suggest that if one wished for their offspring to inherit their position, they must send them to learn Kyushu’s language and script.

Furthermore, he also initiated the limitation of military strength in various countries.

While setting requirements for their troop numbers, he began absorbing able-bodied men from the Western Regions’ countries from the ground up, to form an army belonging to the Great Tang.

He did not coerce them.

Kyushu culture values persuading with reason.

These people would make the most appropriate choice.

The current fame of the Gu Clan in the entire Western Regions had reached its peak, a reputation truly battled out by Gu Quan, enough to instill fear in anyone.

Of course, no matter how much Gu Quan did, all this needed time to gradually influence and could even be said to be a generational task not possible to complete.

But whether it was Li Shimin or Gu Quan, neither would remain stationary, and they would always move forward.

October.

Under the prestige and pressure of the Great Tang and the Gu Clan, the king of Goguryeo finally succumbed to the pressure and officially sent envoys to declare allegiance to the Great Tang.

This force, which once dragged the Sui Dynasty into the abyss, finally noticed the changes in Kyushu.

Li Shimin was quite surprised at this.

Whether it was him or Gu Quan, both had actually envisioned the day they would attack Goguryeo, only they had been waiting for the situation to stabilize completely.

The current Goguryeo did not submit to the Great Tang as it did in original history.

This was still the first time.

Yet, Li Shimin was not overly delighted, since the illness of Empress Changsun, his heart has been unable to settle.

Such matters still weren’t enough to make him overly happy.

Time had ultimately taken away too much.

Not just Li Yuan but also generations of ministers who once followed Li Shimin.

Li Shimin indeed began to shine from a young age, with many ministers being older than him, naturally unable to withstand the power of time.

This saddened Li Shimin greatly.

He ultimately remained that emotionally attached Emperor, who valued each minister who had followed him under his command.

But what could be done?

Even though he was the Emperor, the Celestial Khan, it was impossible to keep everyone.

And it was precisely because of this.

Li Shimin was increasingly wishing for Gu Quan to return to Chang’an.

But Gu Quan, of course, would not agree; though Goguryeo had submitted, the Western Regions were simply not yet in a condition to be left, at least not now.

Actually, the personalities of Li Shimin and Gu Quan were alike.

Both had their stubbornness.

Only that one was for the prosperity of the Great Tang, the other for his own family.

The two could only continuously move forward.

Time flew by swiftly, and Li Shimin thought of many ways regarding Empress Changsun’s condition, though usually skeptical of such things, seeing the treatments failing, he even started having people pray for Empress Changsun.

But this ultimately did not stop the illness of Empress Changsun.

Under these circumstances, the entire court of the Great Tang seemed shrouded in shadow.

Regarding Empress Changsun.

Not only Did Li Shimin care deeply, but the ministers also respected the Empress greatly.

Especially Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

Watching Empress Changsun’s condition worsen, his state also deteriorated, insisting on praying for Empress Changsun.

...

Chang’an, Eastern Palace.

"Your Highness, Your Highness."

Amidst the constant calls sounding out, a very handsome young man walked in without any obstruction.

His name was Gu Lei, the eldest son of Gu Yan.

He was also the person with the best relationship with Crown Prince Li Chengqian among the contemporary Gu Clan offspring.

Not due to his talents, but purely because their personalities matched.

In fact, Gu Yi had long observed this person.

Unlike other Gu Clan offspring, Gu Lei’s personality resembled his father Gu Yan’s, equally a bit unruly, full of youthful vigor and righteousness.